Radio Control Info Articles

EDF Airframe

EDF AIRFRAME – RADIO CONTROL Electric Ducted Fan JET

Your first major selection in order to get in to EDF Airplanes, is of course choosing the airframe prior to selecting a motor, ESC, LiPo’s.

The airframe you choose should be based on goals you wish to reach, flying skill level, building skill level, airplane appearance and so forth.

Certain airframes will only allow certain speeds to be attained. If one of your goals is to have a slower flying plane or faster flying plane, select the appropriate model.

Planes that tend to fly faster are the type that have thinner wings and a sleeker design. These planes allow for low drag making high speeds possible. Below is a typical airframe where you could expect high speeds.

EDF Jets for entry level are often called Jet Trainers. These models can be visually noticed by there wing span vs. fuselage length. As there ratio gets closer or even over 1:1, the wing loading tends to be lower. It’s more common for an EDF jets wingspan to be smaller than its length. Below is a typical trainer style jet.

To better determine the wing loading of an RC model, visit the RC Calculator under the Airplane Section. Compare the wing loading values of several models. The higher the output value is the higher the stall speed will be. As this value decreases the lower the stall speed will be.

Foam EDF jets are typically easier to assemble and best for new builders. Composite/Fiberglass or balsa covered kits are often more difficult to assemble and better suited for experienced builders.

The size and final weights of the plane will then be used to select the next several components.